Page 61 - Zone Magazine Issue 020

danny.slade@zone-magazine.com \\ TUNES
RECOMMENDED
Huxley - Hux COIN EP [Origins Records]
2017 was a great year for Huxley with releases on the likes of Moon Harbour, Knee Deep in Sound and Do Not Sleep but new for 2018 is this belter that's due out in March and is his debut single on Origins Records. There are two tracks and a dub version of ‘Strutting’ by Alex Celler and first up is the original mix of ‘Eastside’ which is one of those tracks that you know is going to be special just from a few bars in. It starts with a busy percussive loop that gets better and better with the adding of stereo panned vocal chops and a galloping bassline all in a tech house vein. Then the main rapped vocal sample comes in with some wonky synth chords and we have a monster in our midsts! Second up is the original of ‘Strutting’ which starts with stabbed keyboard chords and a one note violin note and adds vocal chops and driving percussion. Its not as accessible as the opener but it sure does pack a mighty groove that should move the feet of the most jaded clubbers. Finally is the aforementioned Alex Celler dub of ‘Strutting’ which takes a path less trodden and mellows it out nicely with airy pad sounds, and an ultra funky bassline that really stands out from the mellow backbeat that has claps, busy percussion and is a heads down no nonsense affair that would work for those darker groovier moments in a set. This release is very good and I can't pick a favourite as they are all so strong. What I can do is make it my Zone Top Tune and highly recommend that you check it out for yourselves! https://www.facebook.com/originsrcrds/
Danny Howard - Havwest EP [Toolroom Records] [Tech-House]
Radio 1’s Danny Howard Is a man of many talents and one where he excels at is music production which is borne out by his latest two track release on the mighty Toolroom Records. First up is ‘Havwest’ which starts with a percussive loop with bongos and a kick drum then throws in a female vocal sample which takes you to a breakdown which has the main keyboard riff of the song and a long snare roll to take you to the main body of the track. There are loads of seemingly random vocal samples chopped into the mix but when heard in context they make perfect sense and drive it on very nicely. The second cut is titled ‘Cosmic Girl’ and is another dance floor destroyer which starts with a kick and a hi hat and is added to with keyboard stabs, more vocal chops and eventually an ultra funky bassline along with sci fi esque sound effects. There is a woman saying ‘i am a cosmic girl’ as the main hook, which along with the general aural insanity of the track drives it forward with great tension and supreme danceability. You can really tell that these tracks have been created by someone that knows how to make people dance as they both work on so many levels. As for picking a favourite, you have got no chance as both are well worthy of the highest accolade I can bestow upon them which is a score of ten out of ten. https://www.juno.co.uk/products/lady-starlight-which-one-of-us-is/667561-01/
Jo Jo Angel & Rich Pinder - You Know [Kenja Records] [Tech-House]
This is Jojo Angel & Rich Pinder’s First release on Kenja Records and if you like your house music deep techy and with a liberal sprinkling of
funk you won't be disappointed. There are three mixes included and first we have the ‘Original Mix’ which starts off with a booming kick, closed hi hat and some claps and is backed by a pad and has a smattering of vocal samples. Then the kick gets even bigger and is accompanied by sci fi effects and ushers forth a funky bassline and even more freaked out samples which work a treat. Then you get the ‘CDC Remix’ which has a stripped back intro that is beefed up with another large kick and then its joined by another funky bassline and some atmospherics in the form of samples, female vocal chops and brass stabs. Finally you have the ‘Don Rimini Remix’ which has a swinging feel with stabbed retro synth notes and bizarre vocal chops which give it a completely different feel to the two previous funky cuts, this is a more pared down version both in sounds and in length as its just over four and a half minutes long and the others were over six minutes long a piece. As for my favourite mix, its a toss up between the first two funky cuts and on reflection I would have to choose the ‘CDC Remix’ as it has just a little bit more oomph than the Original which is also very good. https://www.facebook.com/kenjarecords/
Eli Brown and Mason Maynard - Jungle Cry EP [Relief Records] [Tech-House]
Two talented producers join forces to release the Jungle Cry EP which features two floor friendly Tech House gems that just beg to be heard
and more importantly danced to. Kicking off the EP is ‘Jungle Cry’ which starts with a pad sound and some female vocal chops over a percussive loop then in comes a kick and a bit further in a breakbeat. The track then progresses with a beefy bassline and the breakbeat sounding very chunky. There are some sci fi sound effects, snare rolls and further vocals and it is deep yet accessible and sounds great at a loud volume and will no doubt rock many a dance floor. The second track is called ‘Do Ya Feel Alright’ and it starts off with a percussive loop that is joined by a kick and messed up female vocals which then fully come into their own and are joined by a slab of old school acid synth line that works a treat! As the track moves forward the line “do ya feel alright” is repeated over and over by a female vocalist and it gives it a great sense of pace that will no doubt also stand it in good stead on the dance floor like the first track. So there you have it, two very floor friendly tracks that manage to avoid the obvious and sound rich and powerful. My choice out of the two is Jungle Cry but to be honest I will be playing both over the coming months.
https://soundcloud.com/elibrownbeats
Carloh - Gaia EP [Moon Harbour] [Tech-house]
Carloh’s music is greatly influenced by the music of his native South America and finds him fusing pre-Columbian musical instruments along
with his own beats to make defined and almost tribal rhythms. There are three tracks on the EP and first up is ‘AlLone’ feat. Mar Amk on vocals and starts with a vocal introduction backed by a kick and clap and is quickly joined by a big backbeat with cowbells, an acidic bassline and a vocal loop used for its rhythmic qualities. As it progresses you get tizzy hi hats and the vocal quite low in the mix with added bleeps every now and then which work a treat. The second track is ‘Gaia’ feat. Mar Amk which kicks off with an old school sounding acid bassline and interspersed vocals and is joined by a giant kick and the aforementioned almost tribal native percussive instrumentation along with a general retro feel to the whole track with electro sounding percussion. Third and finally you have ‘Milla’ which is an instrumental track that also has an old school feel to it and is defined by a rubbery bassline, chopped vocals and a rolling kick drum. There are a number of breakdowns that add great tension and this track is a real party starter. So there you have it, three tribal Tech House cuts that are all easily able to rock a dance floor and I think that this will EP will really fly. My favourite is ‘AlLone’ but its a closely fought contest. https://www.facebook.com/moonharbour/
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